“The guy has his problems”: TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa slams San Miguel’s Jericho Cruz for showboating

The San Miguel Beermen moved within one win of clinching the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup after holding off TNT Tropang Giga’s comeback to secure a 105–91 victory in Game 4 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, July 20.

Jericho Cruz led the way for San Miguel with 23 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter, and received solid support from CJ Perez, who added 16 points. Record-setting Best Player of the Conference, June Mar Fajardo, was once again his consistent self, finishing with 15 points, 16 rebounds, three steals, and one block.

However, TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa expressed frustration with the way San Miguel won the game—and even more so with Cruz, whom he accused of “showboating” and acting like a “little boy” on the court.

“Parang bastusan eh. Hindi naman dapat ganun. Lahat naman tayo naglalaro ng basketball, eh. But he was showboating. Magkasama kami sa NLEX niyan with Coach Yeng Guiao, pero dinadaan niya lang sa yabang lahat,” Lastimosa said in the post-game press conference.

“The guy has his problems. I know he has problems—dinadala niya lang sa court. And he’s just acting up. He’s just like a little boy,” he added.

#WATCH: “DINADAAN NA LANG NIYA SA YABANG LAHAT”

TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa airs his frustration on Jericho Cruz’s antics in Game 4 of the #PBA2025 Finals 🏀

📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/CmuRj9JAgY

— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) July 20, 2025

For TNT, Jordan Heading continued to battle, finishing with 23 points, but the Tropang Giga couldn’t maintain their form in the final quarter. They now face an uphill battle in their pursuit of a PBA Grand Slam.

Lastimosa acknowledged that his team faces a difficult road ahead, needing to win the final three games of the best-of-seven Philippine Cup Finals. To do so, he said, TNT must block out the distractions—on and off the court.

“Wala munang kaibigan dito. Wala munang kaibigan,” Lastimosa concluded.

It remains to be seen whether Tropang Giga can mount an incredible comeback, as San Miguel continues to demonstrate why they are one of the most dominant and feared teams in the league.

Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals between San Miguel and TNT will take place on Wednesday, July 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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